The Link Between Spirituality and Addiction Recovery
There’s a saying in the world of addiction. “Getting sober is easy. Staying sober is the hard part.” Many individuals find that adding a spiritual component to their addiction recovery plan is a key to long-term success.
You can see elements of a spiritual perspective in even the most secular efforts to combat addiction. Take, for instance, the 12-step programs that originated with Alcoholics Anonymous. A critical part of that 12-step recovery journey involves recognizing the presence of a “higher power” and its role in helping one to beat addiction.
AA and other 12-step groups tend, for the most part, to leave it at that. The religious component of coming to terms with one’s addiction remains, for the most part, a personal matter. Nonetheless, there is a quiet nod to the power of spirituality in recovery.
In other situations, that quiet nod is replaced by a chorus of “Amen”. There are some recovery programs that are overtly religious in nature. Norman Askew’s ministry, which focuses on dealing with addiction from a spiritual perspective is a perfect example. There are many others, all of which share a belief that a closer relationship with God can make the difference between continued sobriety and “falling off the wagon”.
That belief in the power of religion and spirituality to aid in addiction recovery has support from those outside the church community, too. The very secular world of scientific research recognizes that those who are involved in a faith-based community and/or who demonstrate levels of religious self-identification tend to have more success in dealing with addiction than others.
The researchers won’t venture a guess as to whether that’s a matter of divine intervention or a byproduct of the increased sense of optimism and a belief in life’s meaning at play. They will, however, tell you that addiction recovery seems to be more successful when religion is involved as part of the plan.
This is important to consider if you or someone you know is battling an addiction problem. When one considers the role spirituality might play in handling this difficult situation, it may lead them to look a little closer at their “higher power’s” role in assisting in the creation of a better life.
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